Chennai City are set to play their AFC Cup matches in Maldives. However, they face a monumental task ahead of the tournament...
Chennai City FC, India's lone representative in Asia this season, have quite a task on their hands as they prepare for the resumption of the AFC Cup.
After the Coronavirus pandemic played spoilsport and brought all live sports to a standstill, the AFC Cup group stages were also halted with just one round of games completed in several groups.
Group E of the AFC Cup, which contains teams from the South Zone, is now set to resume at a centralised venue in Maldives. Chennai City's campaign kicks-off again on October 23 against Maldives' TC Sports Club, as of now.
However, the team have a very tough task ahead of them to prepare themselves for the rest of the group stages, given the Covid-19 situation in India.
The cases are rising fast in India, and especially Chennai where the team was set to play their AFC Cup home matches before the pandemic struck. As thing stand, Chennai City have currently no choice but to observe how the situation develops.
It must be noted AFC's 2022 World Cup qualifiers, set to be held in October and November, have been postponed to 2021.
With restrictions still in place with regards to free movement in Chennai and Tamil Nadu, it is tough for the club to assemble their squad. Even if they do, finding practice facilities or even accommodation for their players is a challenging task right now.
It must be noted that Indian Premier League (IPL) outfit Chennai Cuper Kings are holding a limited five-day camp for their local players at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.
"Training is out of the question right now. We also don’t know how we’ll assemble the squad right now. The cases in Chennai and Tamil Nadu are fluctuating and there doesn’t seem to be a solution in sight. We don’t know when the borders will open," club owner Rohit Ramesh told Goal.
He also admitted that bringing back head coach Akbar Nawaz who is in Singapore is also an issue for the club.
"First thing, we are not sure how we will bring the players within the state together. Then, we will need to bring the players outside the state. But because of the travel restrictions and quarantine protocols in each state, it is a bit tough. We also don’t know how we will bring the head coach back from Singapore right now. It will be a monumental task to assemble the squad in Chennai.
"The training facilities are another issue for us. Most of the facilities and hostels have been given for Covid purposes. Private grounds are not available right now. Even if we get the players together and get facilities to train, where we will put them up is a problem because the hospitality industry is completely closed right now. That will be a challenge too."
Then there is the issue of travelling to Maldives from India. Currently, international travel is not completely open and there is also the isuse of quarantine protocols and other logistical nightmares the club has to consider.
What Chennai City have done currently is approach the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and see if they can somehow get to Maldives much earlier and conduct their pre-season training in the island nation.
Resumption of live sports is not yet permitted in India and it is very unclear when it might be. Hence, Chennai City feel it would be better for them to conduct their pre-season in Maldives in a bio-secure environment rather than in India.
Then again, the developing situation in Maldives also needs to be monitored.
"What we have done is send a mail to AFC explaining our situation and we are trying to see if AFC can accommodate us for pre-season in Maldives itself. We might try to push off to Maldives by October first week itself. Maybe the coach can come straight to Maldives or we can drive down to another city and take a flight to Maldives. All this is still unclear. AFC has acknowledged our request and have asked us to inform them of the developing situation in the country.
"More or less, we are looking to do the pre-season in Maldives, if things are better there. If not, it is going to be very difficult for us to assemble, go to Maldives without practice and then take part in the tournament," Rohit said.
Then there is the matter of overseas players. Signing foreign stars in such a situation at a short notice is also a cumbersome task and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Lions play an all-Indian squad in the AFC Cup. However, if there is a situation where they could secure the services of a foreign player, the club will conduct due diligence.
"Till a week ago, we were looking into fielding an all-Indian squad. We are also contemplating if we can get any foreigners to join us. We’ll have more clarity on whether we need reinforcements and whether we can get these reinforcements in time to play the tournament by the month end when our budget for the season will also be clear.
"If I sign players and they cannot travel because the situation is different in each country, then we are in a fix. We don’t want such complications. In such cases, it is pointless to fight with the player also in terms of contractual obligations.
"We are also looking at options as to which countries are open when it comes to travel. Our options are limited but we are looking at what we can do."
The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown life out of gear across the world. It has certainly stirred the pot for Chennai City in what should have been a memorable first ever season in Asia. However, overcoming tough challenges is nothing new for the former I-League champions. It remains to be seen how they maneuovre themselves in Maldives.
The Kakamega boss maintains they have not received any offers for the player and hits out at Ingwe for spreading rumours
Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has told AFC Leopards to forget about their day-to-day dreams of signing Peter Thiong’o.
The Kenyan Premier League (KPL) transfer window swung open on August 10 with Ingwe repeatedly being linked with a move to land the services of the Homeboyz midfielder, whose contract at the club is coming to an end in December.
Shimanyula has now told Goal they are not ready to negotiate on the transfer of the player since he remains part of the team and that no team, including AFC Leopards, have approached the club for his services.
“I want to repeat here very clearly because all this are just rumours, we have not talked to any team including AFC Leopards for the services of Thiong’o,” Shimanyula told Goal on Wednesday.
“Thiong’o is contracted to Homeboyz until December and we are not ready to do business with any team, and furthermore, AFC Leopards are broke and cannot afford the player, they don’t have money to buy players.
“We are also working round the clock to renew contracts of players that are running down and those that have already ended and [Thiong’o] is one of them, we don’t want to let him go and what I know, AFC Leopards are just making noise on social media and they don’t have money to buy players, let alone afford Thiong’o.”
On his transfer plans for the team, Shimanyula said: “We will definitely work out on bringing in new faces, we have a list from the technical bench which we will work on, the window just started so we are not in a hurry to do the business.”
Thiong’o was part of the Homeboyz squad that did exceptionally well in the 2019-20 campaign where they almost beat Gor Mahia to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title before the season ended prematurely owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
After ending the season, Gor Mahia were declared champions on 54 points, while Homeboyz finished second, seven points behind and they still had a game in hand.
Shimanyula is still adamant Gor Mahia were lucky to be crowned champions for the third season in a row as his side were in a very good position to beat them to the title before the pandemic.
The DR Congo international defender was among the goal scorers as the Timbers beat Giovanni Savarese’s men to the one-off tournament
Larrys Mabiala found the net as Portland Timbers beat Orlando City 2-1 to emerge as champions of the MLS is Back Tournament.
The Timbers had edged Philadelphia Union 2-1 in the semi-final, while the Lions blew aside Minnesota United FC 3-1.
In the final staged inside Florida’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Mabiala handed his team a 27th minute lead.
The DR Congo centre back headed past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese a beautiful freekick from captain Diego Valeri.
Mauricio Pereira levelled scores for City in the 39th minute after beating Steve Clarke from close range thanks to a beautiful cross from Nani.
Dario Zuparic restored Giovanni Savarese’s team lead in the 66 minutes after turning in Jeremy Ebobisse's effort – and that proved to be the winner for the Providence Park giants.
Despite his goal, Mabiala was cautioned in the 44th minute by Moroccan-born American referee Ismail Elfath.
“I have three kids and two are toddlers. I’ve had my son calling me every morning crying and asking me when I was going to come back,” the former Nice and Kayserispor star said after the game.
“So we told ourselves we just need to make it worth it, and nobody wanted to go back to our houses without the trophy.”
This win has sealed their place in the Concacaf Champions League next year in what will be their third appearance at the tournament.
Matches against PJ City FC and Selangor II will be used as first yardsticks to measure the readiness of the Malaysia Under-19 squad.
No messing around, that's the big message from Brad Maloney to his players as they prepare for the first friendly match after five weeks worth of training in July and August. And to properly measure his players, Maloney will not be pitting his players against those from the same age-groups.
PJ City FC (Aug 12) and Selangor II (Aug 19) have been selected as the opponents, two teams who play their competitive football in the Super League and Premier League respectively. Teams with not only players who are considerably older and more experienced but as well complete with foreign players.
A difficult task for these youngsters considering this will be their first proper match in any shape or form since March, prior to the Movement Control Order (MCO) enforced by the Malaysian government because of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Maloney is definitely throwing the gauntlet at his players to prove their worth.
"We wanted tough opponents and both PJ City and Selangor II are very good teams with senior players, so that will be a good test for our boys to see what level we're at. It's always in the back of your mind (possibility of injuries against older and more experienced opponents), but if you afraid of going onto the pitch to play football, something is not right either.
"What we're really looking at is to get our players their first test and see how long they can last. It'll be good to see how they can gel and see some combination play amongst the team, see what information they have been able to absord in these last two call-ups and put that into play out there on the pitch.
"So it will be a good test for us. It might be physically challenging but I think for what we're aiming for, it's not a bad thing at the moment," said Maloney before Tuesday's training session.
Dario Zuparic scored the winner as Giovanni Savarese's side triumphed in the decider
The Portland Timbers won the MLS is Back Tournament after a 2-1 victory over Orlando City in the final on Tuesday.
Larrys Mabiala's headed opener for Portland was cancelled out by Mauricio Pereyra before half-time at the Walt Disney World Resort.
But Dario Zuparic scored what proved to be the winner for the Timbers in the 66th minute.
It marked a first trophy for the Timbers since 2015 as Portland secured a place in next year's Concacaf Champions League.
Portland took the lead in the 27th minute, Mabiala heading in a lovely set-piece from Diego Valeri.
But Orlando drew level six minutes before half-time after some nice work by Nani.
The former Manchester United star beat his man down the left before crossing, with Pereyra putting away the equaliser.
However, another Portland set-piece led to the Timbers restoring their lead.
Valeri's corner caused problems before Zuparic turned in Jeremy Ebobisse's effort for what proved to be the decisive goal.
This is Portland's second piece of silverware after they also lifted the MLS Cup in 2015.
Los Angeles FC striker Diego Rossi finished as top scorer at the tournament with seven strikes to his name, while Timbers' Sebastian Blanco contributed a tournament-high five assists.
Portland's win in the final has booked their place in the Concacaf Champions League next year in what will be their third appearance at the competition.
The midfielder is ready to deliver pizzas in Bergamo if his side can continue their fairytale run and win the competition
Marten de Roon has stuck by his promise to make pizza for more than 1,000 people if Atalanta win the Champions League.
Atalanta face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals in Lisbon on Wednesday as they look to continue their dream run.
De Roon said earlier this year he would make pizza for the fans in Bergamo if the Serie A club go on to win Europe's premier club competition.
Speaking ahead of the meeting with PSG, the 29-year-old midfielder is sticking by that plan.
"As I said, if we win the Champions League there will be pizza for more than 1,000 people," De Roon told a news conference.
"However, if we lose, we will try to reach that goal again next year. I can't support us losing. We will try again next year and we will see how it goes."
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Atalanta's quarter-final will consist of a single game rather than two legs and De Roon believes this benefits his side against a team as strong as PSG.
“Playing only 90 minutes against such a strong side is easier than facing them over two legs," he told France Football.
“We can cause an upset, even if it will be difficult. We will give our best. At the time of the draw, I thought it would be a fantastic game.
“After the first leg of the group stage, we didn’t think we could get this far. We wanted to win the last two games to qualify for the Europa League and instead it went well for us.
“The break after the championship has been good for us. We played a lot and it wasn’t easy.
“We don’t run more than the other, we do it better, given that we spend most of the matches in the opposition’s half of the pitch. Our goal is to get the ball back as high up as possible.”
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini is desperate for his side to continue their great run in the Champions League and called on them to prove they belong among the best clubs in the world.
"We are proof that even a team without a European heritage can do well and achieve important goals through playing, enthusiasm and other things," he said.
"We have a responsibility to ourselves not to disappoint. We want to continue to show that Atalanta can sit at the table of the biggest clubs."
After helping Los Nervionenses beat Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Morocco international is looking forward to the semis against the Red Devils
Yassine Bounou has now turned his attention to Sunday’s Europa League semi-final encounter with Manchester United.
The 29-year-old who is on loan from Girona was one of his side’s heroes as they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at the MSV-Arena.
Bounou’s biggest moment was when he saved Raul Jimenez’s first-half penalty which proved decisive for the Spaniards before Lucas Ocampos headed home two minutes from full-time to guarantee victory.
In the process, he became the second African to save a penalty in the Europa League since Algeria’s Rais M’bolhi for CSKA Sofia against Porto in December 2010.
Following this result, they will now square up against the Red Devils – who beat Copenhagen 1-0 after extra-time on Tuesday - in their quest to reach the tournament’s final.
While praising his team for a job well done, the goalkeeper stated that Sevilla are now thinking of their next fixture versus Ole Gunnar Solskajer’s team.
"I'm very happy with the work of all the team. We faced a very well-organised team, hard-working at the back, waiting for the counter with quick players upfront. We kept going and got our reward,” Bounou told club website.
"Very exciting, both for us and for the Sevilla fans. The Europa League is an important competition for the club and we'll go with that excitement, not thinking about anything else. We'll think about the next match and nothing else.
"During the season the team was always growing, but now the aim is very clear and you can see that in the players' performances.”
In the just-concluded 2019-20 Spanish topflight season, the former Wydad Casablanca and Atletico Madrid man featured in six games as he played second fiddle to Czech Republic international Tomas Vaclik.
Even at that, he sees himself as a key member in Julen Lopetegui’s star-studded squad.
"I always enjoyed and felt like an important player at Sevilla, beyond playing or not,” he continued.
“I always felt like I was on the boat. I always gave the best of me from where I played, and now that it is my time to play, even more so."
The Argentine attacker has been backed to deliver for the French giants on Wednesday night
Thomas Tuchel backed Mauro Icardi to deliver for Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League quarter-final against Atalanta.
Icardi failed to score in the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue finals as PSG returned to competitive action last month.
The 27-year-old has netted 20 goals in 33 games in 2019-20, and will need to step up amid doubts over Kylian Mbappe, who is dealing with an ankle injury.
PSG coach Tuchel said Icardi would play an important role in Lisbon on Wednesday.
"Mauro is very important, especially with Kylian's injury and Edi Cavani absent," he told a news conference.
"It will be very important that he play a great game, showing his personality, showing that he can fight in important games. He is never scared, he can always score.
"We can rely on him tactically and defensively. His integration was great with the group, which was not very complicated as we have plenty of South American players, but he really fits in this locker room.
"It's now time for him to put us into the semis."
Despite a lingering injury, Tuchel hinted that Mbappe is set to feature for the French giants against Atalanta, with the Frenchman recovering quicker than expected.
Icardi, meanwhile, noted last month that the remaining teams in the Champions League are a mixed bag with plenty to prove and PSG desperate to finally succeed in the competition.
“I realised on the day of the draw that on our side there was no team that had already won the competition, while on the other side, there are practically only previous winners,” he said.
“But be careful, because the teams in our part of the draw all have the same ambition as us, that is to say to finally win this title and change the course of history.
“In recent years the team have failed in the Champions League and we are all very committed to changing that. The club's objective is to reach the final, and God willing, to finally be able to lift this trophy, because that is the reason why the club has invested in recent years.”
The Hoops coach has described his player's actions as "one of the worst behaviours from an individual" he has come across
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has condemned Boli Bolingoli for failing to follow the club's coronavirus guidelines, stressing he put the entire club in jeopardy.
The Belgian midfielder recently travelled to Spain without informing the club or following proper quarantine protocol upon his return.
Bolingol played for Celtic against Kilmarnock on Sunday before the Hoops became aware of his travel breach .
The Scottish government has since threatened to pause the Scottish Premiership season with Lennon not holding back when asked about Bolingoli's actions.
“I think it is one of the worst behaviours from an individual I have come across,” Lennon was quoted by The Scotsman .
“Everything has been tight and everything has been strict and he had been warned previously about travelling and he blatantly disregarded my instructions and the club’s instructions. It is a complete act of selfishness.
“It’s just appalling behaviour and one the club will deal with in the strongest possible way internally.
"He put everyone associated with the club, the playing staff, the backroom staff, the players at Kilmarnock and their staff in jeopardy. By the grace of God, he’s had two negative tests, but it’s not the point. It’s the lack of responsible behaviour which is paramount.”
Lennon was quick to defend the club's own behaviour surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, stressing that Bolingoli had simply decided to ignore Celtic's guidelines.
“You cannot be any clearer than saying, ‘Don’t leave Glasgow. Stay around if you are going to the shops or whatever’. Now we have to log in everything we have done in terms of where we’ve been," Lennon said.
"There are no restaurants, no socialising, no cafes, but this particular individual has decided to jump on a plane and go to Spain for a day, which is baffling. Then he comes back and doesn’t tell anybody where he has been.
"We have been totally oblivious to it for the whole week leading up to the Kilmarnock game [on Sunday]. Obviously he played some minutes in the game and, again, we were oblivious to it. But all this came out yesterday and blew up in our faces really. So, in terms of the club responsibility, the club can’t do any more. The club have done everything possible for my backroom team, the playing staff, the people who work here.
“Everybody has done their bit. We’ve had umpteen rounds of testing now and everything is negative But we can’t legislate for the behaviour of an individual. We can’t legislate for tracking them 24 hours a day. Sometimes you have to take accountability for this. I’m not saying the club are not taking accountability – we are holding our hands up. But it’s reprehensible behaviour from one individual.”
The Italian side are determined to continue their fairytale run in the competition and show they can match with the biggest clubs
Atalanta have a responsibility "not to disappoint" when they face Neymar and Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, Gian Piero Gasperini says.
The Serie A side are the last Italian team left in the Champions League in what is their first appearance in Europe's top competition.
Gasperini's men have become renowned as one of Italy and Europe's most entertaining teams: they scored 98 times in Serie A this season and have averaged two goals for and two against per Champions League match.
The Bergamo region was hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and Gasperini thinks Atalanta owe it to themselves and their supporters at home to stick to their principles in the quarter-final.
"We know very well the anticipation around this match, given the passion and love around Bergamo for Atalanta," he said.
"This year, there is even more motivation given all that has happened. It's a football match but we have to represent our region in the best way possible.
"We arrive in the best mental condition. We've got some very important results after the lockdown.
"We are proof that even a team without a European heritage can do well and achieve important goals through playing, enthusiasm and other things.
"We have a responsibility to ourselves not to disappoint. We want to continue to show that Atalanta can sit at the table of the biggest clubs."
The threat of Covid-19 means the remaining Champions League matches are being held as one-off ties behind closed doors in the neutral city of Lisbon.
Gasperini admits he would prefer to have a two-legged tie, saying Atalanta "historically have done well in the second match".
"We are facing a team we've never faced before and have no direct parameters in terms of meeting their players," he said.
Kylian Mbappe is an injury doubt and Angel Di Maria is suspended, but Gasperini expects his players to have their hands full when it comes to stopping Neymar.
"He is undoubtedly one of the strongest in the world. It's a problem for anyone to face him," he said.
"The best way to defend is to play well. We'll try to stop him with our organisation. We've faced a lot of strong players."
After beating Wolves in their Europa League quarter-final, the manager has already set his sights on the Red Devils
Julen Lopetegui says Manchester United are "the biggest team in the world" but is confident Sevilla will come out on top in Sunday's Europa League semi-final tie.
The La Liga side set up a showdown with 2017 winners United in Cologne with a late 1-0 victory over another English opponent in Wolves on Wednesday.
Yassine Bounou saved Raul Jimenez's early penalty and that proved a key moment, with Sevilla's pressure telling two minutes from time when Lucas Ocampos headed in.
United beat Copenhagen 1-0 after extra-time on Tuesday and now await Lopetegui's men, who are seeking a record-extending fourth triumph in the competition since its rebranding in 2009.
"We are going to play against Manchester United in the next match - they're the biggest team in the world but we're going to be prepared for them," Lopetegui told reporters.
"We're focused on the next game, against a top, historic side, one of the best in the history of the sport who are in great form.
"We will give our best as we always do. To play against them will be really tough, but we'll go into it believing we can beat them."
Sevilla had 76 per cent of the ball against Wolves but created only a couple of chances before Ocampos popped up late on with his 17th goal of the season.
Lopetegui insists his side were good value for the win and is after a similar type of performance against in-form United next weekend.
"I think we deserved the win today. The key was to chip, chip, chip away, have patience and wait until the right moment," he said.
"I am very proud of my players because we were against a very good team. We needed to have the ball and not make mistakes because they have very fast forwards.
"We played very well against a good team. We had to be very concentrated."
Defeat for Wolves brings an end a gruelling 2019-20 campaign that started 13 months ago and saw them play 17 games in Europe.
Boss Nuno Espirito Santo is proud of his players' efforts and already has one eye on next season, which begins in a little over four weeks' time.
"There is a sense of frustration," he told BT Sport. "The last minute [goal] is something that's happened to us too many times, but I'm proud of the boys.
"We played a tough team but it's all about small margins. We came this far, now it's over – let's rest and look to the future.
"There are players out there who gave everything. Of course the legs and the brain don't work so good.
"We must be proud of ourselves and admit we made some mistakes this season which we need to rectify to compete at a higher level.
"It was a long journey. We wanted to go as far as we could - we had it very close today and everyone's disappointed but we should not ignore the players' efforts.
"It's been almost 14 months of hard work. Disappointment is something that can't take away all the good things we've been doing."
After Sevilla knocked his side out of the competition, the Wolverhampton Wanderers manager called for fresh blood in the summer market
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo believes that his side need new signings to reach the next level after exiting the Europa League at the hands of Sevilla on Tuesday.
Raul Jimenez missed a first-half penalty in the quarter-final match at MSV-Arena in Duisburg, and Wolves were made to pay late in the match when Lucas Ocampos scored the winner from a header in a 1-0 result.
Wolves have finished in seventh place in back-to-back seasons after being promoted to the Premier League, and Nuno has said his side were hampered in 2019-20 as they looked to compete domestically and in Europe. Still, the Portuguese boss was happy with his team reaching the last eight of the continental competition.
“It’s a small squad. We must be very proud,” Nuno told BT Sport after the game on Tuesday. “Now we need to make good decisions so we cannot make mistakes like we did before. We need more players to help us."
The off-season will be shorter than usual after the coronavirus break pushed the season back, with the Premier League set to start up again on September 12. Nuno is again targeting European qualification next season after helping his side achieve the feat in back-to-back campaigns.
“It’s a short break, you cannot stop and start again, we now have to prepare well this period we have to rest," he continued. “We are here because we did some really good things. We made the same classification with more points.
“European football is something we chase, because we want to improve.
“The Premier League is challenging enough, it’s almost like playing in the Champions League. Nothing can disturb the work the players are doing. They will be ready for the next one.”
Although Nuno is hoping to add new players during the brief off-season, one of his biggest priorities will be finding a way to keep Jimenez at the club.
The 29-year-old had a career-best season in 2019-20, managing 27 goals in all competitions including 17 in the Premier League.
That form has led the Mexico star to be linked with a host of Europe's biggest clubs, including Manchester United and Juventus.
The West Africans have joined other member associations to announce the distribution of Fifa funds meant for the women's game
The Nigeria Football Federation announced the distribution breakdown of five hundred thousand dollars received from Fifa for women's football.
Following consultations with the Sports Ministry, the Nigerian football body released the breakdown of beneficiaries of Fifa funds allocated for women's football after Monday's executive meeting.
In the distribution breakdown released on Tuesday, the Super Falcons will get $100,000 (N38,600,000) while the U17 and U20 women’s team will receive $70,000.00 (N27,020,000).
All sixteen Nigeria Women's Football League [NWFL] Premiership Clubs will get $10,000 (N3,860,000) each totalling $160,000 (N61,760,000) and the fourteen NWFL Championship Clubs will get $4,000 each (N1,544,000) totalling $56,000.00 (N21,616,000).
Other beneficiaries include the NWFL for administration and operations $30,000 (N11,580,000) and support to 12 NWFL Amateur Clubs at $1,500 each (N579,000), amounting to $18,000 (N6,948,000); women’s coaching $10,000 (N3,386,000); women’s refereeing $10,000 (N3,386,000).
For other women's football-related decisions, the NFF mandated its Technical and Development Committee to, in the next one week, provide to the Board a shortlist of candidates for the positions of head coaches of the U20 and U17 women's teams, working with its integrity unit.
It also approved that its consulting firm should, as soon as possible, submit a shortlist of candidates for the positions of head coach of the Super Falcons, NFF Head of Women's Football.
They also mandated its Youth Football Committee to conclude the modalities for the staging of the first-ever U15 Future Super Falcons’ Tournament as part of its efforts to discover talents.
On U17 and U20 Women's World Cup qualifiers preparation, the NFF said it is waiting for presidential approval for the teams to resume camp after writing the government through the Sports Ministry.
With these developments, the women's football will enjoy a huge leap in the country, especially the clubs following the distribution of Fifa Covid-19 relief funds for the women's game.
The Cameroonian forward was again on the scoresheet to help his side secure a home draw at Moscow Olympic Stadium
Cameroon international Gabrielle Onguene continued her brilliant form in front of goal in CSKA Moscow’s 2-2 draw with Krasnodar in Tuesday’s Russian Superliga encounter.
Having starred in 3-0 win against Yenisey, where she scored her first brace of the season to follow up on her inspiring opening day effort in a 2-1 comeback for CSKA against Zenit Saint Petersburg.
The 31-year-old forward found the back of the net in the match to take her tally to four goals in the current campaign after being handed her third start in a row this season.
Inspired by her Goal of the Week prize off opener against Yenisey, the Cameroonian opened the scoring for the hosts after being assisted by Julia Pleshkova in the 16th minute of the encounter.
However, the visitors fought back and won a penalty, leaving Polina Organova to convert from the spot for the leveler in the 34th minute.
Seven minutes after the hour mark, Elena Kostarev handed Kransdor the lead but Nadezhda Smirnova did not allow the celebration to last as she equalised two minutes later to force a stalemate.
Onguene featured for the duration of the match against Kransdor but her fourth goal of the season in three outings could not help CSKA preserve their 100 percent winning start to the campaign.
With her latest goal, the 2019 Africa Women's Player of the Year nominee has now matched her goalscoring feat in 16 outings last season, with just three matches this term.
The result saw CSKA drop to the second position on the log with seven points from three matches, while Krasnodar moved up to fourth with three points from the same number of games.
Onguene and Zinovyev's team will hope to return to winning ways when they travel to face Chertanovo on Saturday, while Krasnodar welcomes seventh-placed Zvezda Perm on the same day.
Wolves 0-1 Sevilla: Jimenez penalty miss costly as Ocampos sets up Man Utd semi-final
Sevilla are on course for another Europa League triumph after beating Wolves 1-0 in Wednesday's quarter-final through Lucas Ocampos' header.
Lucas Ocampos punished Raul Jimenez's early penalty miss with a late winner as Sevilla beat Wolves 1-0 in Wednesday's Europa League quarter-final at the MSV-Arena.
Sevilla have won the competition in its various guises a record five times and will now face Manchester United on Sunday for a place in the final.
It may have been a different story in Duisburg had Jimenez converted from 12 yards but Yassine Bounou made a save and Ocampos glanced in the only goal two minutes from time.
Wolves, whose European adventure started 13 months and 17 games ago, had too little time to respond and Sevilla saw things through to advance to another continental semi-final.
Shakhtar Donetsk 4-1 Basel: Taison and Marlos star to secure Inter semi-final in Europa League
Basel were outclassed in the quarter-finals of the Champions League as Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to take on Inter.
Shakhtar Donetsk eased past Basel 4-1 on Tuesday to book an intriguing Europa League semi-final against Inter.
The 2008-09 UEFA Cup winners made light work of their Swiss opponents in Gelsenkirchen after scoring early through Moraes.
Taison doubled Shakhtar's lead and further goals could and perhaps should have followed long before Alan Patrick's penalty made it three as Basel were dominated in the one-legged last-eight tie.
Shakhtar, who got a late fourth through Dodo, will surely now back themselves to at least cause Antonio Conte's Inter problems next week, although this routine victory did little to test their readiness.
Luis Castro's side led after just 100 seconds with the aid of some generous goalkeeping from stand-in Djordje Nikolic.
Marlos delivered a corner from the right and Nikolic, playing due to Jonas Omlin's injury, lunged hopelessly towards the ball, granting Moraes an open goal when he got there first with the header.
Afimico Pululu shot agonisingly across the face of goal at the other end, but Shakhtar remained in control and the second soon followed.
A speedy break from halfway resulted in Marlos controlling on the right corner of the box, taking his time to pick out Taison, whose wayward attempt was deflected high into the net by Fabian Frei.
Nikolic saved smartly from Moraes and was alert again as Marlos rifled an effort goalwards from 20 yards, before Marcos Antonio swept a stunning strike against the crossbar.
Basel belatedly enjoyed a better spell just after the hour mark, but a VAR review did not provide Pululu with a penalty and then Arthur Cabral squandered a big opportunity, lifting his finish wide of goal with Andriy Pyatov stranded.
There would be no fightback as Taison went over in the area and a spot-kick did this time follow, allowing Alan Patrick to calmly beat a scrambling Nikolic.
There was still time for Dodo to thump in number four following Mateus Tete's well-timed pass on the counter, with Ricky van Wolfswinkel's stoppage-time tap-in from Kemal Ademi's centre the scantest of consolations.
What does it mean? Elite European experience tells
This Shakhtar side are experienced campaigners in continental competition and made the most of the absence of a couple of key men in the Basel XI, with Nikolic and centre-back Jasper van der Werff each struggling.
The Ukrainians showed their nous throughout a comfortable triumph, pouncing on Basel's errors while making few of their own. Inter should prove a different proposition.
Marvellous Marlos dazzles
Shakhtar's best work was channelled through Marlos, who excelled from set-pieces and so often picked the right pass in open play – as evidenced by his assists.
The second goal in particular came courtesy of the winger's calm in the final third. With Shakhtar players bombing forward, Marlos steadied himself and, when he might have rushed a shot, teed up Taison.
Nikolic nixes Basel hopes
Shakhtar were clear favourites coming into this clash, but Basel did not need to look far for inspiration. Quarter-final underdogs Copenhagen had taken Manchester United to extra-time on Monday.
But where Copenhagen kept things tight and relied on a standout performance from their goalkeeper, Basel's Nikolic quickly erred. The inexperienced 23-year-old was foolishly tempted from his line with less than two minutes on the clock and gave his side a mountain to climb.
What's next?
Shakhtar might find next opponents Inter a little less accommodating when they meet in Dusseldorf next Monday.
The Italy legend has recently taken charge of his former side, after enjoying a silverware-studded career as a midfielder
Andrea Pirlo encapsulates the essence of a modern footballing legend, with his legacy on the pitch reaching far beyond his native Italy.
Regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all-time, Pirlo had a starring career in Italy playing for the likes of AC Milan and Juventus before retiring at New York City FC in 2017 - not to mention being a pivotal force in the Azzurri's 2006 World Cup victory.
The icon was named head coach of former side Juventus in August 2020, replacing Maurizio Sarri at the helm after just over a week of managing the Under-23 side.
Goal brings you everything you need to know about Pirlo's net worth, how much he earns, the charity work he is involved in and more.
| Net worth: | £38m |
| Source of wealth: | Football contracts, endorsement deals and investments |
| Date of Birth: | May 19, 1979 |
| Country of birth: | Italy |
Pirlo's net worth is estimated at around £38 million (€42m/$50m), amassed from a combination from his earnings as a footballer as well as several sponsorship deals.
The Italian earned that figure across a 22-year playing career across Italy and the United States.
He lifted two Champions League trophies with AC Milan before winning four consecutive Scudettos with Juventus.
Pirlo was a crucial part of the Italy national team that won the 2006 World Cup, and was elected into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
The ex-midfielder is known to not discuss his finances in public, and also owns a stake in his father's metal trading company, Elg Steel.
As head coach of Juventus, Pirlo is reported to be earning an annual salary of up to £7.5 million (€8m/$9.8m), according to online sources.
Pirlo signed a two-year contract with the Serie A side, which means that his contract is worth £14 million (€15.5m/$18m) across two years.
He is also understood to be have signing and tournament-winning bonuses included in the terms of his contract, which would see his salary amount to £16 million (€18m/$20m) over the course of two years at the Allianz.
It is slightly less than the amountother top-class coaches earn in lucrative divisions such as the Premier League.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola earns £15 million (€16.5m/$18.5m) a year in comparison, similar to what Jose Mourinho receives at Tottenham. Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp earns a reported £10 million (€11m/$12.5m) a year at Liverpool.
Taking the £7.5m as Pirlo's annual salary at Juventus, you can see a breakdown of what he earns per month, week, day, year and minute below.
| Timeframe | Earnings* |
|---|---|
| Per minute | £14.31 |
| Per hour | £858 |
| Per day | £28,846 |
| Per week | £144,231 |
| Per month | £625,000 |
| Per year | £7,500,000 |
*Approximates
Pirlo has had previous deals with the likes of Nike throughout his playing days and beyond, with the popular sportswear brand even releasing a special limited edition of the Nike Tiempo Legend 6 boot for the ex-midfielder.
The Juventus head coach also has a partnership with Rolex, who have released his own Submariner watch as part of the Andrea Pirlo Project.
Pirlo has been involved in several charities throughout his playing career and post-retirement, playing in high-profile charity football matches supporting a variety of organisations - such as support of the Piedmontese Foundation for Cancer Research.
He has shown his support for fighting racism in football, joining other FIFA legends in solidarity against discrimination.
Pirlo has approximately 7.8 million followers across his Instagram page, where he posts photos regularly about his life on and off of the pitch.
He also has a Twitter account which is home to 2.8 million followers, though he is less active on this platform.
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